After three consecutive wins against AFC opponents, the Tennessee Titans will go for their fourth victory in a row against their first NFC competitor: the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikes, who hail from the area known as the Twin Cities, appear to be the Titans’ twin in terms of the way their team is constructed. Both teams have strong defenses, explosive young running backs, and veteran signal-callers who recently replaced younger, more heralded players at the QB position.
Here are my keys to a Titan victory over the Norsemen.Keep the defensive impact plays coming!
One of the main reasons behind the success of Tennessee’s 3rd ranked defense has been the unit’s ability to make big plays. The Titans have intercepted 7 passes, forced 5 fumbles and accumulated 11 sacks in their first three games.
Like the Titans, the Viking offense depends heavily on its ability to wear down the opposition via the running game. They utilize a conservative brand of offense that is for the most part, unwilling to take a lot of chances.
The Titan defense will be successful on Sunday if they are able to take the Vikes out of their offensive comfort zone by continuing their trend of forcing opposing offenses to make costly mistakes.The Roos vs. Allen grudge matchAndrew’s excited about watching the battle between Steve Hutchinson and Albert Haynesworth, and for good reason: they are perhaps the two best players at their respective positions.
In addition to witnessing those two behemoths collide, my anticipation also rests upon the matchup between Titan LT Michael Roos and Viking DE Jared Allen.
The Vikings paid quite a ransom to secure Jared from Kansas City as they hoped that he would provide their defense with the dominant pass-rusher they so desperately needed.
Just last year, Roos held Allen sackless in Tennessee’s 26-17 victory over the Chiefs. Hopefully, Roos will get the best of Allen once again on Sunday.Convert some 3rd downs, will ya?
Lost in the sea of adoration towards the Titans’ scintillating 3-0 start has been their inability to convert on third downs. In three games, Tennessee has moved the chains on only 12 of their 39 3rd down attempts (31%). Currently, the Titans are ranked a paltry #26 in this department.
Like the Titans, the Vikings have a tough defense and one of the most effective ways to combat a good defensive unit is to wear them down. The ability of the Titans to move the football and to prolong their drives via third down conversions will go a long way towards helping them reach the 4-0 mark.
What are your keys to a Titan victory against Minnesota?